ayoung101

help me decide if it's checkmate for my baby. long story short, some brake lines rusted in my truck about a month ago and i began the quest to fix it. unfortunately the one that blew out is the one above my gas tank. first, i tried to just splice it with a generic line but the existing one is too rusted to put a flair into it. so i decided to replace it with an actual proper line, from toyota.

then, my proportioning valve won't give up my brake lines (again, rust) so i'm going to have to replace that too.

then, in the process of removing my gas tank, i removed 2 electric plugs, 2 filler lines, 1 return line, and 1 emissions line. then i dropped the tank onto my chest and swung it over onto the ground. you guessed it, i forgot to unattach my main fuel line and it snapped off. and apparently i can no longer get one of these cuz they don't have any service parts left.

my patience is gone. my heart is broken for my baby. but the thing is so d@mn rusted (1989, been in michigan it's whole life) i just don't know what to do. it still runs good (well, not anymore because there's no gas tank). it has 136xxx miles (not many for a 22re, i know). i need to decide if i should just part it out for engine, trans, diffs, xfer case, and a few other various odds and ends and move on with life. EVERY body panel has at least a little rust. most have MAJOR rust. everything underneath is rust. it has body damage because i slid into a pole this past winter. it has no brakes. it has no way of reattaching the gas tank without some creativity, which i am completely burnt out of. i'd guess i'd get about $500 if i sell it with my 32" BFG's which have at least 90% tread left. course, that's IF it was running.

my hearts broken, i'm burnt out, and i'm sick of being without a vehicle. what would you do?

vtjeenyus

if your interested in selling the engine out of it check on the shipping to 05035 i might be able to take it off your hands

shancerlelby

and the vultures swoop in lol. really it doesnt sound that bad for a toyota. i've seen rear drums rusted clean thru and holes rusted right thru a arms and diffs so yours sounds practically mint! maybe take afew days break from working on it and get someone elses opinion on how to fix it. replacing brake lines are always a pain, and as for the rear proportioning valve ditch it and go with an adjustable unit under the hood. the whole load sensing system is a terrible idea anyways. good luck man and i hope you hold on to her!

Noltz

Bah, you just need a break. I worked at a Toyota dealer for a couple years, and every week we'd get a Camry or Corolla in for all new lines. Just part of living in the rust belt.

Step one; find yourself a new sending unit. Once you've got that, you can run OEM lines or fab your own. Really, sounds like you've got about 4 hours work there.

Oh, and if you're talking about the load-sending proportioning valve, just remove it from the system. Mines out, no problems with lockup. Do it once, do it right - run fresh lines and you'll be singing for another 5 years .

ayoung101

new sending unit? meaning a new fuel pump? my current fuel pump is fine, and i'm not about to dump any more money into this thing. i just need a new fuel line. unfortunately i can't get an OEM line any more (apparently all service parts throughout america are gone)(unless someone knows where to find toyota part # 77241). i have no idea how to fab my own. anyone with experience with running fuel/brake lines live in the detroit area that is willing to help? or do they make 8ft long flex hose for fuel? cuz that'd be friggin awesome!

as for the LSPV, i lucked out big time. found a good used one on ebay for $10, $20 shipping. it's already in my garage. that will be relatively easy once i get my lines ran.

Firebb15

As long as your fuel gauge works, you DONT need a sending unit. You dont need a fuel pump either. Depending on where the fuel line snapped, you might need the unit/bracket that the fuel pump bolts to. I know what your going through. Sort of. Also being from the Detroit area, I just had to do my brake lines/fuel lines on my 94 4x4 pickup. Well mines a little different, I just took my bed off instead of dropping the tank. Ok I went to Murray's, (or whatever auto store you like) and bought some metal fuel line/brake line. crawled under the truck and bent the new line to match the old line (you can hand bend it or use a tube bender for tight bends). Unbolt the old... and bolt in the new! I had to use 2 pieces because they only came in 5ft pieces to be able to run them front to back. You can connect them with a union.
I have a mint, rust free LSPV I could have given you, it came from a rust free truck I parted out. Spray everything with PB Blaster and I had to use vice grips. Thats how i got all my old lines to break loose.

If you don't feel like making your own lines, carefully unbolt your old ones and take them to Inline Tube in Shelby Twp, which is where i'm from. They are around 22 Mile and Hayes. They can make any line to match exactly like the factory (oil/trans/fuel/brake lines). I had them make me some stainless steel fuel lines. Very nice work usually within a day or two for a reasonable price.

Its not hard to do. Let me know if you end up wanting to sell the truck, or let me know if you really need a hand.

Brian

ayoung101

now THAT is a helpful post! i'll have to check out inline tube. do they do metric fittings?

and what do you count as a "reasonable price"? i'm at 16 & shoenherr, so that's right up the road for me.

85toy

nevermind

imanut43

Hang in there!!!!!!!!! I just did the same thing that you are going through. I bought my 89 pickup for 200 bucks. Body was decent but it had no brakes and the fuel pump bracket was so rotted I had to source on from a junkyard off of another truck. Take your time and don't give up that runner is worth the effort. If she's been good to you then be good to her. Like the others said... take a break and then keep on wrenchin!

hmmwv15

Don't get rid of it.

I jumped through all kinds of hoops to get the EFI 1/2 way decent, and just when I thought about selling the thing a friend pulled through with the help and a part I needed. There are plenty of extra fittings on other trucks, you just have to find someone who is parting one out. I'm not used to all that rust yall get up there but there's gotta be something with some good lines fairly close by. Wouldn't be hard to make your own with the right tools either. Research your options, take down some phone numbers, and go eat at your favorite restaraunt while you cool off for a day or two. Get some buddies over to help you, sometimes all you need is an extra few people to give you some ideas. It's what you get with a 20 year old vehicle!

thook

This is what I like to see....encouragement sans the bashing. Kudos gentlemen. YT rules!

I'll say the same....don't give up. I went through my own share of headaches to get my '86 4rnr where it is now. I learned a lot and went through my own personal transformations. (Zen and the Art of Yota Maintenance..) She's got more work to do, but it runs and well at that.

Take a break....get some help. Having another's help is really a boost. Been there.

Nix99 (pm DeathCougar) has lots of used parts.

And besides, chances are you ditch your 4rnr to buy something else that is used (Lord knows the majority of us can't afford new) that will also require it's own fair share of work sooner or later. I've been there, too.